The Kirkus Prize is one of the richest literary awards in the world, with a prize of $50,000 bestowed annually to authors of fiction, nonfiction and young readers’ literature. It was created to celebrate the 81 years of discerning, thoughtful criticism Kirkus Reviews has contributed to both the publishing industry and readers at large. Books that earned the Kirkus Star with publication dates between November 1, 2014, and October 31, 2015, are automatically nominated for the 2015 Kirkus Prize, and the winners will be selected on October 23, 2015, by an esteemed panel composed of nationally respected writers and highly regarded booksellers, librarians and Kirkus critics.

KIRKUS REVIEW

Sometime during the night, Angela sprouts a pair of pearly white wings. Her folks blame each other, her brother thinks they're cool, her friends and neighbors taunt her. Angela's miffed but, with the wise tutoring of her grandmother, comes to accept her lot and revel in it. Readers may not know what to make of Angela's predicament; in the pictures she demonstrates a certain stoicism unlikely to elicit compassion. These illustrationspolished, bold, and beautifully renderedhave an icy quality despite the focus on bustling city scenes. In Wendell (1989), Nones perfectly blended the fantastic and realistic; the pieces don't quite mesh in this ode to individuality. (Picture book. 4-8)

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